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Introduction When it comes to achieving success in Muay Thai there are a

few core principles that can help you. No matter how much

research and analysis you do, the only way you can get better

is to train with the purpose of improving.

To become good at Muay Thai you need to dedicate yourself

to the sport. The more hours you put into your training and

development, the faster you will make improvements.

While there is no substitute for a good coach, there are

certain things you can do to ensure you are developing good

technique. Even if you don’t have access to a top notch

training environment, you can make big improvements with

the right attitude and willingness to learn.

The rise of the all-in-one MMA/Muay Thai Gyms have resulted

in a lot of people who “know” Muay Thai, without actually

“knowing” what real Muay Thai is. Most people get their

Muay Thai source from the standup guys in MMA, who have a

completely different style and movement than traditional

Muay Thai.

People who are training in these gym environments often lack

technical knowledge of the sport because they have never

been taught good technique.

You have to think of your Muay Thai journey as your personal

business. The only person who is responsible for your

business’ success is you. While your coach is there to help

guide you along the way, it is up to you to ensure you

implement everything you are taught.

By taking an active approach to learning, you will continually

develop into a better Nak Muay and make huge strides in your

overall development.

What You Can Expect From This Guide

This guide outlines specific factors that play an important role

in the development of any successful Muay Thai fighter.

Whether or not you have aspirations to be a top level fighter,

there are universal principles that can be applied to everyone.

This guide is designed to provide an overview of some core

concepts that can help take your Muay Thai game to the next

level. Hopefully, you are already familiar with some of these

concepts.

No matter how good you are, there are always areas that

need improvement. The moment you start thinking you know

everything, is the moment you stop learning. Don’t ever stop

learning.

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#1 - Focus on the Basics

Learn To Walk Before You Can Run

As much as you want to learn all of those fancy techniques

that they show in the fight highlights, the basics are going to

win you fights. Most

beginners don’t want

to learn the

fundamental

techniques like the

jab and body kick;

they want to learn a

spinning elbow or a

flying knee because it

looks cool. While you might find it boring focusing on basic

techniques, you have to learn how to walk before you can run.

Basic techniques that you learn are going to be the offensive

weapons that you use the most. Muay Thai has certain

techniques that are used more often than others. The rest of

your weapons will help complement these core techniques.

Key Techniques to Focus On

Jab/Cross - The two most basic punches in Muay Thai is the

jab and cross. While you might think there is not much

involved in these techniques, mastering the jab/cross is about

timing, placement, and technique. Learning the technique

itself is only one aspect to being able to punch effectively.

Utilizing these two attacks during training and sparring will

help solidify them as weapons that you can add to your Muay

Thai arsenal.

Left/Right Body Kick - The body kick is going to be the most

important weapon you use in Muay Thai. Not only does it

score the most points in a Muay Thai fight, it is the most

effective technique that you can use. Mastering the body kick

will not happen overnight, so be prepared for some hard

work.

Front Teep – The teep is one of the most effective offensive

and defensive weapons that you can use in Muay Thai. A

strong Teep will counter almost every attack. Practice using

this weapon in sparring to develop your timing of this

important weapon.

Low Kick – The low kick is a devastating weapon that can be

used to hurt an opponent’s movement in the later rounds of a

fight. Basic combinations like a Jab-Jab-Low Kick are very

effective if used consistently. Using feints are a must, if you

want to land your low kicks without getting blocked.

Slashing Elbow: The slashing elbow is an elbow technique that

is used to cut across an opponent’s guard in a slashing motion.

These elbows can cause a lot of damage to an opponent if

they are used correctly.

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Straight Knee: The straight knee is a technique that you can

use to damage your opponents body. These knees are often

used when a fighter is coming forward towards their

opponent. Since knees score a lot of points in Muay Thai

fights, you will need to master this particular technique.

Taking the time to work on mastering the basic attacks is

going to ensure that you have a solid base when you start

learning other techniques. As much as people love spinning

elbows and flying knees, these are the techniques that will win

you fights.

PRO TIPS:

Use Short Combinations – One of the biggest mistakes

I see instructors doing in Muay Thai classes are

teaching 6+ combinations. While you might be getting

a better cardio workout by adding more techniques in

a combination, the reality is these are not practical in a

real situation. Stick with short 2-4 punch/kick

combinations when you spar that can translate into an

actual fight.

Footwork Matters – When I talk about basics I am also

talking about the importance of really good footwork.

Maintain balance whenever you throw an attack or

block an attack is extremely important. Without proper

footwork you will easily get thrown off balance when

you are performing a technique. Balance and footwork

is the difference between average and good Muay Thai

fighters.

Always Sharpen Your Tools – Just because you’ve had

15+ fights doesn’t mean you are too good to sharpen

up some of your basic tools. Going over some of the

fundamental moves of Muay Thai is something that

should be in your daily regiment, regardless of your

experience.

#2 - Perfect Your Technique

Learn the Right Way from the start.

Developing good technique is essential to creating a good

Muay Thai foundation. Once you have a solid foundation to

your game, you can start sparring and working on developing

soft skills that can add more depth to your game.

If you want to work on your technique, you should perform

each movement with slow precision in front of a mirror.

While it might seem boring to learn the fundamentals the

correct way, taking the time to perfect your technique is

essential. This will prevent you from having to relearn

something later on.

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Find a Trainer that Emphasizes Technique

When you get more experience over the years, you will notice

that some trainers emphasize technique more than others. If a

trainer doesn’t teach a beginner the right technique, they will

develop bad habits instantly. Even though an instructor might

have a class full of new students, teaching each student the

right technique should be the first priority. Unless you are

training in a cardio kickboxing class, technique should be

emphasized throughout training.

The problem with learning poor

technique is you will cement bad habits

into your brain, which can take years to

change. Although technique isn’t always

going to be the determining factor if you

win or lose a fight, creating a solid

foundation will pay dividends if you get

to the higher levels of Muay Thai.

How do you know if your technique is good or not? Make sure

you check out muaythaipros.com for complete guides that can

help you improve your technique.

Start from the Ground Up

Building good technique starts from the ground up. If you

have developed poor habits, it can affect your overall game

significantly. People who have poor footwork are going to

have a difficult time being in a good position to land various

techniques in a fight.

How Can You Build Solid Fundamentals?

It Starts With Your Feet

The best way to improve your movement is learn the “Muay

Thai Walk.” What is the “Muay Thai Walk?” This is the rhythm

and movement that traditional Muay

Thai fighters utilize to keep your body

relaxed and put you in a position to be

ready to attack or defend.

If you are able to walk and move like a

“Thai Fighter” than you will be able to

add more weapons to your arsenal and

help further develop your Muay Thai.

Always Reset After an Attack

Whenever you attack you should always reset your stance so

you are back into a neutral position – ready to attack and

defend. Whenever you watch a high level Thai fighter in the

ring, you will notice that they are constantly in a very neutral

position. This is how they are able to block and counter so

many different techniques.

The first gym I trained at did not

emphasize good technique. This

caused me to develop a lot of bad

habits that would take years to

“unlearn.”

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PRO TIPS

Train in Thailand - Anyone who is serious about having

good technique needs to learn from the source.

Obviously, if you are blessed with a very good

instructor who has been to Thailand and teaches the

correct way of doing things, consider yourself lucky.

For those who have the opportunity, book a trip to

Thailand.

Shadowbox in the Mirror – One of the best ways to

analyze some of your technical abilities is to look in the

mirror and see how your form looks. While it is always

better to have someone else look at your movements,

using the mirror can help you pick out little things that

you might be doing wrong.

Take a Video of Your Training – Another great way to

discover problems in your technique is to video

yourself while you are training. Seeing yourself on

video is a great way to discover some hidden flaws that

you might have.

#3 - Embrace Repetition

Repetition is the key to creating habits.

Repetition is often associated with things that are boring,

mundane and uninspiring. This perception that repetition is a

bad for development is completely false. Not only is repetition

a good thing, it is essential in developing fundamental Muay

Thai skills.

Even though you might want to practice every technique, it is

important to consistently repeat your basic weapons that you

are going to be utilizing the most. Kicks, punches, elbows and

knees should all be practiced daily, with hundreds of

repetitions of each exercise. By continually repeating the

different exercises you will start to solidify these techniques

and they will become second nature to you.

Repeat the Correct Techniques

As I mentioned before, repeating poor techniques is a sure

way to cause a lot of frustration later on. Once you have

learned the proper technique of a movement, you will need to

repeat this movement so that it is engraved and it becomes

second nature.

How do you think people can pull off flying knees in fights?

They repeatedly practice these techniques until they don’t

even think about using the technique.

In order to truly master any Muay Thai technique, hours have

to be spent repeating and practicing the technique. If you

want to ensure you’ll use any weapon in a fight or real life

situation, you have to repeat that technique so you don’t have

to think about using it.

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PRO TIPS

Build a Solid Foundation First – Repeating bad habits

is the worst thing you can possibly do for your Muay

Thai career. If you learn poor habits at the start of your

Muay Thai journey, it can take years of undoing. Taking

the steps to ensure that you build a solid foundation is

a must before you start to solidify them.

Practice Both Sides – If you throw 100 right kicks,

always make sure you throw 100 left kicks. You should

never neglect one side of a technique because you

favor another one. Always utilize both sides of your

body for every technique. This will help make you a

versatile fighter and not a one trick pony.

Don’t Get Sloppy When You Are Tired – One of the

most common mistakes that Muay Thai practitioners

do is their form gets compromised when they are tired.

The moment the energy drops, the first thing to notice

is body language. One may look like a complete

beginner again. Being able to maintain your form no

matter how tired you are is an essential part of getting

to the next level. If you observe any high level athlete,

in any sport, they will always maintain their technique

regardless of how exhausted they are.

#4 – Always Be Thinking

Analyzing your own game is a must.

One of the biggest things you will notice at a Muay Thai gym is

people are often doing the motions, without actually thinking,

“Am I actually doing this right?” Some people are too reliant

on their coaches and won’t ever make an effort to correct

their own technique.

There are plenty of ways that you can analyze your technique

to look for improvements. Most people are simply doing just

because they are told to do, without thinking about how they

are performing that action and if it is done correctly.

Whether you are a beginner or an experienced fighter, taking

the time to sit back and reflect on your game is a habit that

you need to start using. People who just do, without thinking

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about what they are doing, are often missing out on

opportunities to improve their technique. You are never too

good to learn. No matter how experienced you are, you

should always be looking for something to improve. That’s

what separates the amateurs from the professionals.

Sit Back and Analyze Your Game

Taking the time to reflect on your game is a skill every fighter

should use to improve. Imagine you are fighting yourself, what

areas would you exploit and what are specific things that you

like about your style? How would you beat yourself in a fight?

Even though it can be difficult to be critical of your own game,

it is important to understand some of the areas that need to

be improved. This is a great way to ensure you don’t become

stagnant and are continually improving in your Muay Thai

techniques.

Sometimes it helps to actually break down your game on

paper. Some of us are visual learners and writing down

specific strengths and weakness can help give a different

perspective when training.

It is a very good exercise to continually analyze your own

game to see if you have progressed or if you have plateaued in

training. If you are continually working on something while

you are training, you will continue to improve. Creating

measurable goals can help you develop a strategy that will

keep you improving, even after years of training.

Ask For a Second Opinion

If you aren’t very good at self-analysis, then ask someone to

help dissect your game. Whatever you do, don’t ever get

offended if someone corrects you. They’re only trying to help

and it can be very beneficial and knowledgeable information.

The truth is nobody is perfect. Taking constructive criticism is

something that you should focus on. The more opinions you

have, the more information you have that can help develop

you as a fighter.

Always be willing to learn and change things that are not

working. Becoming stagnant will prevent you from becoming

better. Lifelong learning is the only way to go in Muay Thai.

PRO TIPS

Record Your Sparring Sessions - Take videos of your

training to further break down technique and see what

can be improved. Videos analysis is a great way to look

at how you perform specific techniques during shadow

boxing, pad work and sparring.

Watch Your Old Fights – Looking at your old fight

videos is a great way to see what needs improvement.

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Whenever you are analyzing yourself, look at both

your strength and weaknesses.

Create a Game Plan to Beat Yourself - Although it

might sound odd, creating a game plan of how you

would beat yourself in a fight is a great way to look at

weaknesses in your game. Think about how you fight

and what are the best styles and techniques that

counter your style. By going through the different

aspects of fighting styles, you can look for holes in your

game that you can fix during training.

#5 – Conditioning Is Key

Train your body like a Champion

Whether you have ambitions to be the best in the world or

simply want to be as good as you can be, training like a

champion will take your game to the next level.

What does it mean to train like a Champion?

Training like a champion means you need to put in the hours

outside of training to ensure you are physically fit. Whether or

not you plan on fighting, being in top shape will allow you to

exert a lot more effort in your training, which will vastly

increase the amount of learning at every session.

Conditioning is essential in Muay Thai. The more physically

conditioned you are, the more receptive you are at training.

Your mind will be able to concentrate on other things like

technique and timing, rather than surviving the round.

Put in the Hours Outside of the Gym

Training consists of two main aspects: training in the gym and

training outside of the gym. If you want to become high level,

what you do outside of training is as equally important as

when you are at the gym. If you want to hit pads harder and

have more energy in your training, then you need to figure out

the steps to do so. Running daily is beneficial to every Nak

Muay, regardless of if you plan on fighting. Running is great

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for your overall conditioning and will help you have more

stamina during your pad rounds.

While most people dread running, it should be something that

you embrace as a training method that will help condition you

to improve you technique a lot more. Running every day

throughout the week will ensure that you are able to maintain

your fitness and keep up with everyone at the gym.

There is nothing worse than hitting pads and knowing that you

are not fit as you can be. Given the extreme difficulty in

maintaining a “fight shape”, maintaining a consistent running

schedule throughout the week is going to benefit your health

and your training.

For people who cannot run because of an injury, biking is a

good alternative. It is important to have any kind of aerobic

activity in your training regimen to help keep you on top of

your Muay Thai training.

Don’t Make Excuses

Excuses are for people who aren’t serious about what they’re

doing. They often justify why they can’t or shouldn’t be doing

something, instead of just going out and doing it.

Some people will tell you that you shouldn’t run long

distances because there are more efficient ways to do things.

There are a million excuses as to why you shouldn’t do

something, but I am a firm believer in putting in the time.

I know from first hand, that when I am running daily, I am

always in good shape. I can hit pads harder, longer, and faster.

Mentally, you know you’ve put in the hours and you can

sustain the grueling session. Even if you don’t have a fight

coming up, being able to train harder will only make you

stronger.

PRO TIPS

Build Up Your Endurance – If you plan to start running,

start slow! You shouldn’t start running 10k on the first

day. Start with 4k the first week or whatever distance

it is you can do, then add more distance every week. If

you immediately start on a long run then you will

fatigue a lot faster. Remember, you want to be able to

sustain this energy for the rest of the week. By starting

with a reasonable distance, your body can adjust and

running long distance will become easier.

Integrate Sprints Into Training – I am a firm believer

that long distance runs are important in training, but I

also think sprints can be beneficial. If you think about

the components of a Muay Thai fight, there is both

endurance and explosiveness required. Running sprints

will help condition your body and the recovery time

will become easier for you in a fight between rounds.

Develop a Routine – The easiest way to slack off is

when you don’t have a routine. By developing a

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realistic routine, you are more inclined to stick to it

and incorporate into your lifestyle. Instead of forcing

yourself to run before training, it will become habitual

and you won’t even think twice about it. Creating

habits is essential if you want to be successful in

training.

#6 – Sparring is Essential

You won’t get better without sparring.

Sparring is an essential part of Muay Thai development that

helps build timing and reaction. While shadow boxing, hitting

the bag, and kicking pads are great for solidifying good

technique, sparring is where you start using techniques in real

situations. If you never spar, you are missing out on a huge

aspect of Muay Thai.

Sparring is arguably the most effective way to develop skills

that can only be learned through experience. While you might

understand in theory why you should have your hands up,

getting punched hard in the face will force you to change bad

habits that you might have without sparring.

Hard, soft, and technical sparring are all valuable tools that

you can use to improve.

Check out: 12 Sparring Tips For Muay Thai

Beginners who learn the basics should avoid sparring until

they have a good understanding of the basic techniques.

Having a solid foundation of all the Muay Thai techniques is

important to prevent the development of poor habits. Putting

someone who does not have good fundamentals in a sparring

situation will make them nervous causing them to brawl.

Ideally, the perfect situation is to spar with people who are

better, worse and the same level as you. This will ensure that

you have a variety of partners with different skills. It will help

you develop and get accustomed to different types of

opponents.

Maintaining a positive attitude is an essential part of

maximizing your sparring. Try your best to avoid turning

sparring matches into brawls, because you can injure your

partner and your technique will suffer.

PRO TIPS

Challenge Yourself Sparring – You should always be

looking to spar with people who are better than you.

Even if you our outmatched in the ring, a better

opponent will force you to adjust. Try to be the little

fish in a big pond, rather than the big fish in the little

pond.

Train in Thailand - Going to Thailand is an experience

that every Nak Muay should have. I don’t care if you

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have never fought before or you have 30 fights back

home, training in Thailand will make you better. The

opportunity to spar and train with legends is

something that can take your game to the next level.

Spar with Confidence – Whenever you spar you should

be confident and try to improve your technique. Never

fear your opponent or it will make you weaker. Always

focus on trying to continuously improve, while

simultaneously mastering the basics.

#7 - Get Ring Experience

Fighting will elevate your game to another level.

One aspect of Muay Thai that many people neglect is ring

experience. Although fighting is not meant for everyone, if you

have an opportunity to fight, do it.

When it comes to fighting, winning or losing is not important.

The experience you get from fighting is the most valuable

lesson you can learn. In Thailand, it doesn’t matter if you have

won or lost all your fights, it’s what happens in the fight that

counts.

Get Experience Experience is the key to getting better in Muay Thai. The more

ring experience you have, the more prepared you will be to

handle different situations that occur in a fight.

You should never expect to have easy fights in Muay Thai.

Always go into every fight and expect a war. This mentality will

ensure that you never take an opponent lightly, even if you

should win on paper.

Getting good quality fights is a sure way to help you grow and

improve in Muay Thai. While sparring and training at the gym

can help sharpen your weapons, their truly is no substitute for

ring experience.

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Even though you might only be in the ring for a short 15

minutes, those minutes will feel like an eternity and you can

learn a lot in that short period of time.

Fight in Thailand Fighting in Thailand is a great way to get ring experience.

While the matchups aren’t always the best in Thailand, it is a

great way to get started with your fighting career. Do your

research and pick a quality training camp that will take care of

you while you’re there.

PRO TIPS

Get Amateur Fights – Most countries have an amateur

Muay Thai circuit. For people who are just starting off

in the sport, the amateur circuit is the best place to

start. Fighting with shin guards and headgear can give

you peace of mind that you won’t get permanent

injuries in your fight. Any amount of experience

obtained from fighting will pay dividends in your

training and help you become better.

Fight In Thailand – A lot of people have a difficult time

getting a fight lined up if they aren’t at a popular gym.

If you aren’t living in a city that has a lot of other gyms,

the best thing you can do is head to Thailand and have

a fight over there. Thailand has hundreds of gyms

throughout the country so you will never have a

shortage of opponents to choose from.

Quality over Quantity – Someone who has beaten 30

bums in the ring is not going to have the same level of

experience as a guy who has beaten 10 quality

opponents. It’s not how many people you fight, it’s the

level of opponent that you are fighting that matters.

Always try and find quality opponents who are

similarly matched to you, but beatable. This will ensure

you continue to develop in the sport.

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#8 - Develop Mental

Toughness

If you want to win fights you need a strong mind.

If you could pick one attribute as a fighter that will give you

the biggest edge in a fight, mental toughness is by far the

most important trait. Being able to push yourself when you

don’t feel like going any further is something that can carry

you through the difficult moments as a fighter.

Don’t Miss: What It Means To Have Heart In Muay Thai

Looking at any of the best fighters in the world one of the

most common traits is they are all mentally tough. These are

guys who will fight tooth and nail until they are fully

unconscious in the ring. The importance of a strong mind is

often underestimated in fighting. A strong mind can carry you

to victory, even when it seems impossible.

In order to build mental toughness you have to work on

pushing your body to its limit. One of the benefits of the

rigorous training sessions and constant challenges is you are

forced to build a strong mind.

A Strong Mind Starts In Training The best way to develop a strong mind is to start pushing

yourself to your limit in training. If you don’t think you can do

something, do it. No matter how tired you feel, don’t fall short

of what you want to accomplish.

By accomplishing the vigorous training sessions, when it

comes to a fight situation, giving up will not be an option. You

won’t have a way out of a fight; there is only a way forward.

By not allowing yourself to quit, you will be forced to find a

way to win, no matter what the odds are.

Everyone has a mental breaking point, a point in which their

minds can take no more. The harder you train, the more

difficult it becomes to reach that breaking point. Fighters who

are fearless in training will often develop that same attitude

when it comes to a fight.

PRO TIPS

Never, Ever, Quit – Quitting is not an option for

someone who wants to be good at Muay Thai. No

matter how tired you are, always push past your pain.

It doesn’t matter if you can barely stand after a round

of pads, you never give up. Fighting through the pain is

the first step into ensuring that you become a mentally

strong fighter.

Push Yourself Hard – Taking the short cut in training is

the last thing that you should be doing. If you have a

choice between 10 kicks or 50 kicks, always take the

harder path. This will develop your mental strength to

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continue to push no matter how tired you are in

training or a fight. Remember, it all starts with training.

If you are tough as nails in training, you will be even

tougher in the ring.

Believe in Yourself – Whether you are sparring with

someone better than you, you should always believe in

yourself. Accepting defeat is something that should

never cross your mind. You should always be pushing

yourself hard and believe that you can overcome any

opponent, no matter what the odds are. Believing that

you can finish 100 kicks with each leg on pads is

something that you have to do if you want to finish it.

# 9 - Always Be Respectful

Treat people how you wish to be treated.

Respect is everything in Muay Thai. Always treat your training

partners and opponents with respect no matter what happens

in the ring.

Your demeanor in the gym is a reflection of your attitude and

personality. People who walk around the gym with arrogance

often foster a negative training environment for others.

Regardless of skill, a Muay Thai practitioner should always

remain humble and be willing to help those around him.

Keeping a positive attitude will help you build connections

that can last you a lifetime.

Being respectful will go a long and people will want to train

with you. If you are perceived as someone who is an asshole,

nobody will want to work with you or even spar with you.

Always maintain a friendly attitude and remember that the

people around you are there to help you get better. Your team

will be there behind you whether you win or lose. So always

make sure you show them the respect they deserve.

KEY TIPS

Don’t Have an Ego – Having an ego is bad for you and

bad for people around you. Nobody likes a guy that

walks around with arrogance and attitude. You are

never too good to spar with anyone. Get that idea out

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of your head. There is always something that you can

practice or learn against any opponent that you will

face.

Treat everyone equally – Don’t only treat

people who you look up to with respect,

respect everyone around you. Even if

someone is new to the gym, be humble

and help them out. You never know how

good that beginner can become if he puts

his mind to it.

Be Positive – Maintaining a positive

attitude no matter what is happening is a

great way to ensure that you get the most

out of your Muay Thai. Don’t ever get too

down on yourself if you lose a fight or have a bad

sparring session. Keeping a positive attitude is the key

to growth and getting better at the sport. Trust me, it

can open a lot of doors if you are constantly positive

and pleasant to be around.

#10 – Develop a Poker Face

Never reveal your weakness to anyone

The art of concealing emotions can be extremely difficult

when you having someone punching and kicking you with full

power. Developing a poker face in Muay Thai is something

that takes continual practice. It is not natural to be stoned

faced when you feel like death and out of breathe.

Not showing any weakness or

emotion in a fight will wreak

havoc on your opponent’s

mind. You would be surprised

how fast a fighter will lose

confidence in a fight if their

opponent never shows

emotions during the fight.

This is one aspect of fighting

that the Thai fighters in

Thailand have mastered

brilliantly. No matter how tired they are, they never show

signs of fatigue until they collapse. They maintain complete

composure and never show an opponent how much pain they

are actually feeling in the fight.

The poker face starts with always maintaining a calm state in

training, even when the body feels like collapsing. Keeping a

poker face when you can barely stand up is something that

takes a lot of practice. After you complete 5 rounds of pads,

not showing any signs of fatigue is almost as challenging as the

pad rounds themselves.

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By keeping a strong poker face in a fight, an opponent will

never know what you are feeling inside. This will prevent them

from gaining any confidence or fuelling anything inside of

them that could give them an advantage.

A poker face is mentally important in Muay Thai, as it keeps

your opponents guessing at all times. You will become more

unpredictable and intimidating in the fight.

PRO TIPS

Maintain a Poker Face in Training – No matter how

tired you are in training, don’t let exhaustion overtake

you. The one thing you will notice when you watch a

Thai fighter kick pads, he never shows weakness during

the round (after the round he will often collapse). Even

if the trainer asks him to do 100 kicks, he will often

pause to breathe, collect his composure and just do it.

Focus on Breathing – The key to being able to maintain

a poker face in any situation is being able to control

your breathing. One of the reasons why people look

exhausted after pads is because they are often gasping

for air and not correctly breathing. If you are able to

master your breathing, this will translate to when you

are fighting in the ring. Always focus on maintaining a

state of relaxation.

Stay Relaxed – One of the biggest reasons that people

gas out in the ring or in training is they are extremely

tense. You will often notice that the whole body is

tensed up as they punch or kick in the ring. By relaxing

your body, you will be able to conserve energy and

reduce the amount of fatigue you experience. This will

help you maintain a poker face in training or a fight.

Work Hard and Never Stop

Learning

Muay Thai is about continual growth and commitment. At

no stage should you ever think you are done learning. The

best coaches in the world are constantly working to

improve their own teaching methods to better themselves

and their students. In order to be a successful Nak Muay

you have to have a good work ethic.

If you are lazy and don’t put in enough hours into your

training, you will plateau a lot faster. Work ethic is

something that is developed by continual habit. Putting in

the hours will help you develop into the Nak Muay you

want to become. Remember to train hard and always

focus on improving. Good luck.

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MuayThaiPros.com Reading List:

What It Means to Have Heart

Finding the Right Muay Thai Trainer – 5 Essential Tips

Top 10 Muay Thai Fighters of All Time

Kickboxing vs Muay Thai

Muay Thai for MMA – An Introduction

10 Types of People You Find Sparring

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Disclosure: The information contained in this guide is for informational purposes only. No part of this publication shall be reproduced,

transmitted, or sold in whole or in part in any form, without the prior written consent of the author (Stephen Kong). This is a guide created for

muaythaipros.com and should not be distributed on any other platform.

(In summary, please don’t copy any part of this guide without my permission and paste it elsewhere.)